How some colleges are offering free textbooks
Open-source textbooks are gaining popularity and cutting costs for students. Rice’s Connexions is referenced. Richard Baraniuk, the Victor E. Cameron Professor of Engineering and founding director of Rice’s OpenStax College, is quoted.CNN Livinghttp://cnn.it/1lu64di

Dams won’t starve Mississippi Delta of sand
New research from Rice and the University of South Carolina found that the sand needed to rebuild the Mississippi River Delta will stay constant for centuries. Jeffrey Nittrouer, assistant professor of Earth science, is quoted.Futurityhttp://bit.ly/1i8O6JnCenturies of sand to grow Mississippi DeltaPhys.orghttp://bit.ly/1h5lEwgMississippi River will carry enough sand needed to build new Louisiana wetlands for at least 600 years, new study saysThe Times-Picayunehttp://bit.ly/1lvBQLdMississippi dams aren’t to blame for flood risksNew Scientisthttp://bit.ly/1i3rXkD

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

The new HHS secretary and America’s neglected infections of poverty
Peter Hotez, a fellow in disease and poverty at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored this blog post about America’s neglected infections of poverty.Huffington Posthttp://huff.to/1mr48WW

Hoping for more density downtown, Houston dangles tax-break bait
Developers are offered a $15,000 tax break for each unit built in a development of 10 units in downtown Houston. Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted about the benefit of offering developers this incentive.NextCity.orghttp://bit.ly/1eUfAI3

How far will the outcome of the 2014-Lok Sabha election in Manipur be reliable? Part 1
An op-ed discusses electronic voting machines and the right to vote without fear of manipulation. Dan Wallach, professor of computer science and of electrical and computer engineering, is referenced.E-Paohttp://bit.ly/1eXdrvD

Climbing Mount Everest: Base camp bound, after a glacial detour
Alumna Ulyana Horodyskyj ’07 is climbing Mount Everest to determine how much soot is settling on snow at the top of mammoth glaciers.Scientific Americanhttp://bit.ly/PnNgld

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Texas is changing
Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, is referenced for his research on the increase in Texas’ Hispanic population and the expected decline in graduation rates and increase in poverty.Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in Beaumont Enterprise.)http://bit.ly/1hhM1us

Texas insurance enrollment update
According to a new report from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Episcopal Health Foundation, the rate of Texans without health insurance has dropped slightly since the launch of the Affordable Care Act. Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at the Baker Institute and professor of economics, is quoted.Houston Chroniclehttp://bit.ly/1nk0lefPercentage of uninsured adults in Texas declined since September 2013, survey revealsNews Medicalhttp://bit.ly/1ltv3gJHouston-area health care construction takes offHouston Chronicle (Subscription required.)http://bit.ly/1k0AmF2

Narrative of Vietnam finds voice in photos
Vietnamese artist Dinh Q. Lê explains the significance of the photos used in his installation “Crossing the Farther Shore,” which is on display at the Rice Gallery through Aug. 28. Rice Gallery Director Kimberly Davenport is mentioned.Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)http://bit.ly/1gNCwUA

Divestment campaigns draw more attention than financial blood
Environmental advocates are urging foundations and universities to sell their investments in oil and gas companies. The article notes that Rice does not boycott nor endorse products and services.Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front of the Business section.)http://bit.ly/1kT7orODivestment campaigns struggle against stock market, profitsFuel Fixhttp://bit.ly/PnQgOo

Can GOP gaffes work in Davis’ favor?
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about recent political gaffes and the Texas primary.Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)http://bit.ly/1ms7FSbAbbott tries to tar Davis with FBI probeHouston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front of the City & State section.)http://bit.ly/1hhRn9eAG seizes on newspaper report about FBI probe that includes work by Wendy Davis’ firmHouston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)http://bit.ly/1msvfOLDavis trails in poll, but GOP trying to give her a chanceSan Antonio Express (Subscription required.)http://bit.ly/1kTpwBNRailroad Commission candidate pledges divestitureEagle Ford Texashttp://bit.ly/RFJYvGKUT 90.5 (Austin)http://bit.ly/1fgUTkh

Rice University demolishing the 1969 ‘Art Barn’
Rice has deconstructed Martel Center, the metal building that has been the home of Continuing Studies since 1987. In letters to the Houston Chronicle, alumnus William Little ’10 notes that the removal of the old building was “long overdue,” while alumnus William Hartman III ’81 remembers seeing art installations there when he was a student.Saturday letters: Developer subsidy, art barn, foreign policyHouston Chronicle (Subscription required.)http://bit.ly/1nkk5ycSunday letters: Reading, meterologists, pensionsHouston Chroniclehttp://bit.ly/1eWBt9zUps and downsHouston Chronicle (Subscription required.)http://bit.ly/QAkjDCArchitecthttp://bit.ly/1nCwVFf

Business calendar
Andrew Barron, the Charles M. Duncan Jr., the Welch Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science, will speak at the Pioneer Oil Producers Society meeting. He is also quoted about the development of chalk blends for climbers and weight lifters.Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)http://bit.ly/1hhOhlrChalk it up to scienceOutside Onlinehttp://bit.ly/1hhR9Pe

BROADCAST

Rice students develop Jedi Putter
Rice students have designed a putter that helps golfers have a consistent putting stroke. Duncan College senior Matt Lopez is quoted.KTRH-AMhttp://bit.ly/QAsj7mhttp://bit.ly/1eUWIZoRice students devise multisensory, real-time feedback training putterAZosensors.comhttp://bit.ly/1eXhgkp

Rice engineering students’ projects helps Special Olympics gymnast go for gold
A group of Rice students created an assistive device for a 10-year-old special-needs gymnast. Ann Saterbak, professor in the practice of bioengineering education; Jones College sophomore Austin James; Sid Richardson College sophomore Kelsey Nanneman; Baker College freshman Mickyle Stanbury; and Baker College sophomore Kylie Balotin are quoted.KTRK-TVhttp://bit.ly/1i7oz9r

KHOU-TV
Alumna Mother Cecilia (Martina Snell) ’99 is featured for her successful music group, The Benedictines of Mary.http://bit.ly/1nklmW6(This broadcast appeared in KGMB-TV and 108 other affiliates.)

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Students take clot-buster for a spin
A team of Rice students created a device to break up blood clots that form in the bladders of adult patients. Bioengineering students Tiffany Huang, Patrick Yun and Lung-Ying Yu are mentioned. Students Aaron Hu and Adrian Gallegos are quoted. The story includes a video produced by Public Affairs’ Brandon Martin.Phys.orghttp://bit.ly/1ltsYkV

Students design ‘nested’ dumpster to slash shipping costs
Rice’s design team Container Crew designed a more-efficient design for company trash bins. McMurtry College senior Katie Specht and Sid Richardson College senior Albert Riedel are quoted. Mechanical engineering students James Chapman, Joseph Huseman and Austin Simpson are mentioned. The story includes a video produced by Public Affairs’ Brandon Martin.Phys.orghttp://bit.ly/PnuHxp

Rice adds energy and environment initiative, tackles above-ground risks
Rice has added a real-world course to actively contribute to the oil and gas industry. Bill Arnold, professor in the practice of energy management, is quoted. Provost George McLendon is mentioned.Rigzonehttp://bit.ly/1r8v4u9

Modified carbon black-based nanoreporters detect hydrogen sulfide in oil and gas wells
Rice scientists created a nanoscale detector that reports on the presence of hydrogen sulfide in crude oil and natural gas while still in the ground. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry and professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and of computer science, is quoted.AZonano.comhttp://bit.ly/1rfd13B

Fresh beginnings for bioluminescence
Rice’s research on touching plants to encourage them to glow is referenced in an article about bioluminescent organisms.GreenFudge.orghttp://bit.ly/Qs28QI

Is the universe balanced on a pinhead?
New measurements of the heaviest fundamental particle raise questions about the universe. Karl Ecklund, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, is quoted.Symmetry Magazinehttp://bit.ly/1k0A80t

Big money follows big talk at Rice University’s startup competition
The Rice Business Plan Competition awarded a number of high-dollar prizes. Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, is mentioned.Xconomyhttp://bit.ly/1jZGSM4IIT Kharagpur students win Rice University $1 million prizeNews India Timeshttp://bit.ly/1i3rhvA

Revealed: The best US business schools
According to a recent MBA ranking, Rice Jones School of Business is eighth on a list of the best business schools in the U.S.Business Becausehttp://bit.ly/1hhQE80

Researchers develop method to make 2-D molybdenum diselenide
Rice researchers in collaboration with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore created a method for making one-atom-thick layers of molybdenum diselenide.Asian Scientisthttp://bit.ly/1r9hYN2

Gender, sexuality and marriage as risk factor for HIV infection topic at Rice April 24
Jennifer Hirsch, a leading scholar on gender, sexuality and reproductive health, will discuss marriage as a risk factor for HIV infection as part of the Gray/Wawro Lecture Series at Rice.HealthCanalhttp://bit.ly/1gS4xhq

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

UA names Oregon VP new chief of research
Rice alumna Kimberly Andrews Espy has been named the new senior vice president of research at the University of Arizona.Arizona Daily Starhttp://bit.ly/1rfFwhr

Central Catholic star Abdur-Rahkman commits to the University of Michigan
Basketball player Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman visited Rice in search of a team. Head basketball coach Mike Rhoades is mentioned.The Morning Callhttp://bit.ly/1gNzPlS

Notre Dame football 2014 off-season preview: Rice Owls
Rice’s history of playing Notre Dame in football is featured.One Foot Downhttp://bit.ly/QAnwTC

Baker Institute conference to explore evolving roles of women in the Middle East April 24
Leading international scholars will discuss the evolving roles of Arab women in their countries’ political, economic and private spheres at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy April 24.http://bit.ly/1i3nJJZ

Fit to be tried
Rice University engineering students invent virtual fitting room for online shopping.http://bit.ly/1i8YPUc

Study: Centuries of sand to grow Mississippi Delta
The wetlands of the Mississippi River Delta are slowly sinking and rapidly eroding, but new research from Rice University and the University of South Carolina has found the river’s supply of sand — the material engineers most need to rebuild the delta — will stay constant for centuries.http://bit.ly/QsgWPb

About Rice News Staff

The Rice News is produced weekly by the Office of Public Affairs at Rice University.

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